Sting performs with the Czech Symphony Orchestra in Bratislava...

June 29, 2011

Sting and Czech National Symphonic Orchestra seemed to know each other for ages during their Wednesday evening show in Bratislava which was a part of Sting's 'Symphonicity' tour. The Police hit 'Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic' from The Police's started the show at 8.15 pm and after following songs 'If I Ever Lose My Faith In You' and 'This Cowboy Song' it was clear that there is a real symbiosis between Sting and Czech Symphonic Orchestra although he played with a different Orchestra just two days ago.

Combining Orchestra with rock or pop music might be a bit problematic. Czech Orchestra, conducted by Sarah Hicks, due to ingenious and sophisticated arrangements clearly avoided pathetic exaggeration and candied ornaments. Although they were equivalent partners with Sting and his band on the stage, it was obvious that Sting is the star of the show and Orchestra created some kind of soil allowing his songs to blossom.

On the other hand, Sting treated the Orchestra as a partner who helped to shift his songs in a different direction and gave them a space for a genuine presentation with a violin solo. There was a perfect harmony on the also between Sting and his musicians Dominic Miller and Ira Coleman. During the show Sting played harmonica, guitar and other instruments and added nice dances to his signing. It was really obvious he enjoyed the performance.

He started the show saying - I am really happy that I'm here for the third time in Bratislava. Later he added few words in Slovak and thanked in Slovak after songs. The biggest Sting and The Police hits like 'Roxanne', 'When We Dance', 'Fields of Gold' were played one after another during the evening and when he sang duet song 'Whenever I Say Your Name' with his vocalist Jo Lawry, it didn't hurt the song in any way.

Although there were places for sitting in the whole arena, all the people in the audience were standing, clapping and dancing during 'Every Breath You Take'. After this impressive finale Sting left the audience, however he came back to the stage to sing hits like 'Desert Rose' or 'Fragile'. The show ended with 'Message in a Bottle' which Sting sang solo playing his acoustic guitar.

At the Salem Open Air, Sting impresses fans with his 'Symphonicities' project. Salem. Usually, when musicians take an orchestra with them on stage, alarm bells start ringing: This is what artists do, who lack new ideas, who bask in their former glory, who want to fill up their retiree's account. So the common prejudice says, and reality has proved it several times; think of the Scorpions or Kiss. And it is true: Just adding a sugar-sweet strings arrangement to some world-famous songs does not automatically make them better...